The beautiful thing about art is that it takes countless forms and is ultimately whatever we want it to be. The beautiful thing about being an artist is being able to decide exactly what forms appeal to us and using that as an entry to a realm of few limitations.
I’ve never referred to myself as an artist, it never quite felt right. The word is heavy with implications and riddled with expectations. I think about Jackson Pollock’s ability to translate all of his feelings into a beautiful mess of scribbles on canvas and Teju Cole’s ability to encapsulate the energy of an entire city in the perfect string of words. It’s tough to categorize myself with such giants. Regardless, I do favor an art form and put it into practice more often than not. Photography means everything to me. It’s not just about putting a filter on your latest Instagram post, it’s about composition, orientation, and stories. Every picture is part of a moment and every moment is significant to life — the sooner we realize that, the more pictures we’ll start taking. Not everyone appreciates the quick snap of the view from the 100th floor but I am confident that when I’m old and gray my photos will tell a story that was almost forgotten. My pictures will attempt to do what Pollock and Cole do so effortlessly — express life, preferably one that is well worn and used up for all it has to offer.
Maybe I am an artist after all.
